Long ago, in a magical land, I Discord, lord of chaos, defeated the Elements of Harmony and their bearers. But, a foolish earth pony mare, wielding all six Elements in the form of a magic sword, continued to oppose me. Before the final blow was struck, I tore open a portal in time, and flung her into the future, where my chaos is law. Now the fool seeks to return to the past and undo the future that is Discord.

For the fifth time that hour, Applejack pulled out the chaos clock to make sure it was still pointing forwards. True to Spike's claim, it had led her to the nearest town to Appleloosa, where she had bought herself some supplies, including food and some canteens, before heading out again. For some reason, the clock had continued to point in this direction, no matter where she requested it point instead.

It must want me to go this way fer some reason.

The trip across the desert had taken six days. Well, that's what Applejack had counted from the sun, ignoring the one day where it went backwards. According to the clock, it had only been two days. She wasn't sure what to trust, so she ignored both. She slept when it was dark and she was tired.

For the past few hours, she'd left the desert behind for an open plain. There were a few trees here and there, but for the most part it was tall grass as far as she could see.

Applejack's stomach began rumbling. She rummaged around in her robes, but she already knew she'd finished all her food earlier that day. Well between when the sun had last risen and now.

"Grass it is," Applejack said, sighing. She simply stopped her trek and leaned over. She bit off a clump of grass and chewed it. It tasted horrible, and wasn't very nutritious, but it filled her belly. As she ate, she became aware of a loud rumbling coming through the grass in her general direction.

Ready for trouble, she drew her sword and looked around for the source. It was easy to spot, being several times her size, but she couldn't tell what it was. It wasn't a golem, but it was gray like one. It was running on all fours, but wasn't like any pony she had ever seen. The head was pulled really close to the body, and it had big floppy ears. The most striking feature was a long thing hanging off its face like an extra leg.

It wasn't charging at her, and if anything, it seemed to be moving to avoid her. Applejack decided to let it go and simply went back to eating, but kept an eye on the mysterious creature. As she watched, she saw three more identical creatures following it, but something was different about them. On the back of each of the creatures, another creature rode. They definitely were two legged, judging by the ropes they held in one hand, and the spears they held in the other.

As they neared, she got a better look. They looked like something Twilight had once showed her in a book. What were they called?

"Stop it!" one of the riding creatures shouted.

"Don't let it get away!" another shouted.

Applejack sprung right into action. She pulled out her rope and made a lasso. She spit out the grass she was eating, and gave chase.

As large as the creature was, it wasn't very fast, and Applejack caught up to it before reaching a full gallop. She twirled the lasso around and tossed it over the creature's head. That's when she noticed the metal collar covered in runes on the creature's neck. Regardless, it caught, so she dug in her hooves and pulled back with all her might. Despite the drastic difference in size, the force caused the creature to lean to the side. It became too much, and it tripped. It's massive body slammed into the ground, it's inertia dragging Applejack along with it.

As it ground to a halt, Applejack got up and dusted herself off. She was worried about the chaos clock, but it was undamaged. Oddly enough, for the first time since she had left Appleloosa, it wavered about.

Ah guess Ah'm where it wanted me tah be.

"Hey, thanks!" one of the creatures called as the three slowed their mounts.

"Hold up. Just what is goin' on here?" Applejack asked. "Who are yah? Ah ain't never seen critters like either of yah."

"We're the sapiens. These things, the elephants were wild animals, but we tamed them long ago," the lead creature said, patting the creature it rode on. "This one's a trouble maker though."

"Yeah! How dare you run from us!" another shouted, at the downed elephant, brandishing his spear.

"Let it go," the lead sapien said. "We caught it, so it's okay now. Get those ropes on him," he ordered. The other two jumped down and began tying ropes around the elephant. They knotted three thick ropes around it's neck, then came back to their mounts and climbed on. One tossed the extra rope to the third sapien.

"Hey, why don't we bring the pony with us?" one of the sapiens suggested.

"Good idea. How about you come with us to our village? We don't have many ponies or zebras here."

"Well, Ah don't really have anyplace else tah be," Applejack said, putting the chaos clock away.

"It's the least we could do to say thank you for how you stopped that elephant."

"Yeah, Ah suppose," Applejack said.

"Up!" a sapien commanded to the elephant that was still on the ground. Slowly it rose to it's feet.

Applejack stared up at the elephant. It stared back. Something about it's look caught Applejack's attention, but she let it pass.

"Climb on and we'll lead you back," the lead sapien said, waving toward the elephant she had caught. Nimbly she leaped up the side of the animal and settled on it's neck. "Move!" the lead sapien commanded. Slowly, his elephant turned and began walking back the way they had come. Her's moved next, then the other two followed hers.

Applejack took the time to examine the bizarre creatures she was now traveling with. They were proportioned a bit like Spike, but they were very hairy. They didn't even have tails! The hair wasn't very thick, she could see the paler skin beneath it. They wore a small draping garment around their waists that seemed made of animal skin. They were clearly more primitive than ponies, but they seemed friendly enough.

"Run."

Applejack did a double take. Had somepony just said something? "Did one of yah say somethin'?" she asked.

"Nope," came the reply.

"Did one ah-"

"They can't talk."

"Okay then," Applejack said.

A video screen flickered to life.

"Lord Discord," the pony on it said.

Lazily, Discord leaned over and pressed a button, allowing two way communication."Yes, what is it?"

"I'm sorry, My Lord, I would have contacted you sooner, but we only just received the notice."

"Get to the point," Discord snapped.

"Right. That mare you're looking for, Samurai Applejack, she passed through a few days ago."

"Where was she headed?" Discord asked, suddenly interested.

"She was headed north of Zebanna."

"Good," Discord said, shutting down the video screen. "Well Applejack, let's see how well you handle my better toys."

Applejack was quite impressed by the sapien village. It wasn't anywhere near as big as Ponyville had been in her time, but from the way the sapiens had seemed, it was impressive. The village consisted of several crude grass huts. On one side there was a fenced area with what seemed like a hundred elephants inside it. Many of the sapiens looked at Applejack, but the lead sapien waved them off.

The population seemed nearly equal to the number of elephants. Applejack gazed around at the strange creatures. All of them were walking on only two legs. Right away she could tell there were two kinds of sapiens, but only worked out which was male and which was female when she saw one nursing a foal, or whatever their young were called.

One sapien approached the precession. It was different from the rest, it was wearing a cape of fur in addition to the scrap around its waist.

"Chief, we captured the runaway thanks to this pony," the lead sapien said, gesturing to Applejack.

"Well, thanks," the chief sapien said to Applejack.

"No problem," Applejack said, getting off the elephant.

"Get it back in the pen. I'll punish it later," the chief ordered. Several sapiens rushed around and used their spears to push the elephant into the fenced area, along with the others. They looked quite unhappy to be going back there, but their faces probably just looked that way.

"If that's it, Ah might as well be on mah way," Applejack said.

"Nonsense," the chief said. "Why don't you stay until morning. It's almost sundown, and I'm sure you're hungry."

"Well, Ah guess ah can stay the night."

The feast turned out a big less then what Applejack had expected. She quickly discovered sapiens ate meat, so that severely limited what she could eat. She wasn't quite hungry enough to open that can of worms.

Still, the party was great. There were plenty of foreign but delicious fruits to eat, and the sapiens loved drinking as much as ponies did. It wasn't cider, but Applejack quite enjoyed it.

As they drank and ate, Applejack noticed something odd. They kept refilling her drink, but were hardly touching theirs. They're tryin' tah get me drunk! She realized too late. Already her vision was swimming.

"What'sss inn dis..." she slurred. Normally she could handle her cider, but this was many times stronger. The world teetered about and she hit the ground hard.

Applejack forced herself awake. Her mind was slow, and her body felt heavy, but she struggled against whatever it was in her body. She was dimly aware that she was being restrained and one of the sapiens was coming towards her with some sort of metal band in his hand.

"What are... yah doin'?" she managed to say. They either didn't hear, or chose not to reply. Instead the sapien clamped the metal band around her neck. "What's this," is what she tried to say, but instead only a whinny came out.

I wonder why my masters are holding me. Did I do something wrong? Oh, they are taking me somewhere. Then the drugs in her system surged back and her vision went black.

Awake? But it night. Hungry. Where food? There food! Happily, the orange pony walked over to the pile of grass and began eating. Her masters were so good, making sure she was well fed. She couldn't wait to serve them in the morning. She would do her hardest to please them. Like grass. Not hungry. Go sleep.

The orange pony returned to where she had been and went back to sleep.

"Come," her master commanded. The orange pony stopped eating at once, and trotted over, ready to serve. He put a rope around her neck and led her off.

The orange pony had a great day. She was too small for her master to ride, so she helped with other things. She carried his things, she helped carry what he and the other sapiens hunted, back to camp. She was very good. Her master even gave her a fruit for being so good. When the work was done, she went back to the corral like a good pony. She ate some grass, then went to sleep so she would be ready for the next day.

The orange pony awoke in the night to see a large creature walking towards her. Not master. Other servant? Name? Don't know. The creature got closer. She noticed it was carrying something in it's trunk. She was confused. Certainly they should be resting so they could best serve the masters tomorrow.

The elephant was getting very close now. It made her nervous, and she let out a whimper. Suddenly, something grabbed her from behind and held her firm. While the one elephant had approached from the front, another had come up behind her.

Hurt. Need help. Why hurt? Scared.

The first elephant quickly brought its trunk down towards her. In it, she could now make out a jagged rock. It was going to kill her! It brought the rock down on her neck and did something, but it didn't hurt.

No hurt? Confused. Wait... what's going on.... The trunk holding her down relaxed.

Applejack shook her head, and stood up, trying to organize her mind. The combination of alcohol and whatever had just been undone make her thoughts slow, and her mind dull.

"Can you think now?"

"Whah?" she mumbled, trying to clear up her mind.

"I said, is your mind free of the collar's influence?"

"Uh, did ya'll just talk?" Applejack asked. She looked up to see the two elephants looking at her. She looked around. There were several dozen elephants nearby, sleeping. They were in the paddock!

"Of course we can talk," the one that had held her down. "The collars just prevent us from doing so, as you just found out."

"I tried to tell you to run," the one with the rock said.

"Wait, that was you Ah brought down?" Applejack asked.

"Yes."

"Ah'm awful sorry bout that. Ah had no idea they were the bad guys," Applejack said.

"If it had not been for you, I would still be a slave. When you caught me, something scratched my collar, damaging the runes that enslaved my mind. Because of that, we are both free in a sense."

"Ah'll admit, Ah'm confused."

"You see, many years ago, the sapiens invaded our lands. At first we viewed them as pests, but then they harnessed runes. The made these collars and used them to enslave us. They make us slaves in our minds, as you just experienced. However, it seems it only takes a simple scratch to stop the effect," the elephant with the rock explained. "After you freed me, I let them think I was still under their control so I could come and free the rest of us. I tried to warn you, but you didn't listen."

"Even if you free us from the collars, they'll just fix them," the other elephant said.

"Ah can help," Applejack said, reaching for her sword. It wasn't there. "Figures, they took mah stuff."

"I didn't see where they took them, but they are most likely in the chief's hut."

"Well, Ah'll have tah go find them," Applejack said.

"Please don't. You'll only get caught. Then they will figure out we are free. We will be punished, then they will fix the collars," the second elephant said.

"Whah are yah so afraid ah them? Yah could probably squish them, yer so big!" Applejack declared.

"We are not a violent race."

"But yah have tah defend yerselves. Yer intimidatin' just cause ah yer size. Use that tah scare 'em off. Look, if yah can help me get mah stuff, Ah'll handle 'em."

"What would you need us to do?" the first elephant asked.

"Just get me over the fence," Applejack replied. "It ain't that tall, yah can probably lift me over with this thing," she said, pointing to his trunk.

"Okay," the first elephant agreed. Satisfied, Applejack walked over to the fence. He followed and gently lifted her up with his trunk then deposited her on the other side.

"Now Ah need one more favor," Applejack said quietly. "Give me a few minutes tah get over to the chief's hut, then cause as much ruckus as yah can, tah wake 'em up. They'll run here while Ah'll get mah sword, then come back here and chase 'em off."

"Can you really do it?"

"Course Ah can. Ah promise. They don't call me honest Applejack fer nothin'."

"Stondust."

"Huh?"

"My name is Stondust."

"Then Ah'll be back. Ah promise, Stondust."

Silently, Applejack crept through the village, making her way to the chief's hut. It was easier than it should be; everybeing was asleep, and there were no guards that she could see. All she had to do was keep quiet and they wouldn't even notice her. She wished she had found a blacksmith before coming here, so she wouldn't have to worry about the horseshoes, but she hadn't found one yet, and she was actually getting used to them.

Finally she reached the chief's hut, and just in time. Across the village, she could hear the elephants creating the distraction. They were making some sort of trumpet noise, but it didn't sound like any instrument was being played, nor had Applejack seen any.

Applejack clung to the shadows as sapiens ran by, towards the fenced area. As soon as she saw the chief leave his hut, she slipped inside.

It wasn't very grand, being made of grass, and it was only about the size of Applejack's old bedroom. She cringed at the number of furs lining the floor, but it only took a single glance to locate her missing things. The first thing she did was take out her sword and cut the collar off of her neck. She kicked the thing away from her, it's influence disturbing her greatly. Then she dressed and galloped off to help the elephants.

"I don't know how you got your collars off, but they're going right back on!" the chief shouted at the elephants. They were being forced back by the entire tribe of sapiens, each wielding spears.

"Ah'd back off if Ah were you!" Applejack shouted, getting between them, brandishing her sword. "Ah don't like slavers."

"We're not slavers, you are just inferior species!" one sapien said, pointing. "It is only right we dominate you."

"I like you, pony," the chief said. "You're very pretty. Perhaps I'll make you my personal slave, and you can put those looks to work, plea-"

He didn't get another word out. The next two sounds he made, came from when his head and body hit the ground; now separate. Applejack turned and faced the other sapiens. She held her sword in one hoof so she could talk.

"Go ahead, try and fight. Maybe ya'll can take me," Applejack said. "But can yah take them too?"

Stondust stepped forward, bravely. "We'll squish you like bugs!"

"Run!" one sapien cried. The rest flew into a panic, fleeing the village, leaving most of their weapons behind.

"See? Ah told yah intimidation works," Applejack said. She wiped her blade clean on the grass, then sheathed it.

"Thanks to you, we are free," Stondust said. "Please stay. They will come back and we will need a protector."

"Ah'm sorry, Ah can't. Ah'm already on a mission and Ah can't stay here. You'll just have tah learn tah defend yerselves."

"I did ask," Stondust said. He waved with his trunk. At once another elephant pinned Applejack to the ground with it's trunk faster than she could react.

"Hey! What gives!" Applejack growled.

"I'm sorry, but if you will not protect us willingly, we will have to force you," Stondust said. Another elephant came over and gave him a new collar that was pony sized.

"You'd use that on me?" Applejack snarled. "After what they did to yah, you'd do the same tah me?"

"How do you think they learned runes?" Stondust asked. "You won't even be aware you are a slave. Hold still."

"Like tartarus Ah will!" Applejack shouted.

She bit down hard on the trunk holding her down. At once it recoiled, the elephant crying in pain. In a flash, Applejack was up and galloping away from the village, the elephants began chasing her.

"What was the point ah bringin' me here!" Applejack shouted at the chaos clock in her robes. "Yah brought me here just tah show me not tah trust elephants?"

If you like this story, you should check out some of my other works:

My tumblr, an alternate universe mixing MLP and Cyborg 009.

The Seven Tribes, a rather long fanfic that, like many stories, tries to explain the past.

Forever a Changeling, my new story starring Rainbow Dash as a changeling.

Night of the Werepony, what I consider to be my worst story, but it’s surprisingly popular. It’s just one chapter long.